SpaceFargo
Joined: Feb 18, 2010
Posts: 260
Lake Forest, CA
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Posted on Mar 12 2012 11:00 PM
If you're reading this, there's a good chance that you're like me: a hobbyist, a bedroom musician, someone who half-heartedly noodles through the first half of your favorite standards before putting the guitar down to do something else. Maybe you're a bit more than that but lack consistency or confidence.
No more! From now on we are going to practice every day. Make this your belated new years resolution. I, state your name, will practice for at least 5 minutes on my instrument of choice every day for one whole year. Be it one song, one lick, or even one technique, I will play along to a metronome deliberately and with specificity for at least 5 minutes every day.
Don't have a metronome? There's a free metronome app on your smartphone. Have a dumbphone? There's free online metronomes a quick search away. There's 5 minutes in your day somewhere to get in some practice; if not, wake up at 5:55 instead of 6:00. 15 minutes would be better, but it's certainly more than what I'm doing right now. So long as you focus on being specific it will help in some small way.
Pick something specific to work on. Maybe your tremolo is terrible or your legato is lacking, find something you can't do then keep trying until you can. My pedal notes are sloppy as all get out so I'm going to play the intro to Transylvanian Orbit every day until I don't suck so much. 5 minutes isn't much, but it's better than not practicing for 5 minutes every day. 5 minutes will quickly turn into 15 minutes, all it takes is deciding to start!
Play your instrument every day! You can do it! I believe in you! We'll get through this together! Show that song who's boss! Yeah!
— Hot Summer Comes Again!
Let's Go Beach! Let's Go Beach!
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BeachBumScott
Joined: Aug 31, 2009
Posts: 352
The Ranch, CO
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Posted on Mar 12 2012 11:09 PM
I am pretty lucky when it comes to getting to practice/play.
The other half she goes to bed at 8:30 so pretty much everyday I go to the basement and work on stuff for about an hour or 2.
I need to slow down and stop practicing so many mistakes.
That was my new years resolution and I have been getting better about it along with learning to sight read sheet music.
— "Maybe there aren't any surf bands; there's only surf music?" Tuck
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6V6
Joined: Nov 15, 2008
Posts: 284
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 12:01 AM
Great idea for a thread! Two weeks ago, I decided I try to improve my rapid fire alternate picking. I have made good progress over the years, but am not as consistent as I would like, tire easily, and am really horrible when it comes to doing it over double stops on the high strings.
The solution: I used my drum machine to record surf beats at tempos ranging from 60 to 160...and am forcing myself to improve my picking grip by taking my fingers off the guitar and curling them into the palm of my hand. And after a week, I am picking better than ever (though there is still much room for improvement).
The other practice idea, that happened out of the blue last night, is that I am learning to use m7flat5 arps to solo over m7 and 7 chords. I have dabbled in jazz and gypsy jazz over the years and am hoping to push my surf playing into more exotic direction down the road.
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DNAdude
Joined: Aug 01, 2008
Posts: 404
North Carolina
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 07:17 AM
Actually, my practicing has gone pretty well this year, but I can see room for improvement. All right. I'm in. Starting today.
By the way, the metronome is your best friend. Mine live on the music stand.
I got a chicken picking disc and am working on that and learning how to use a thumbpick when it suits the song.
— Ralph
The Storm Surfers
Be at one with the universe. If you can't do that, at least be at one with your guitar.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 09:21 AM
Try a half an hour to an hour, even that is not a very long time in terms of practicing.
And ditch the metronome once you learn to play in time. You don't want to become a slave to it. Or at least change the tempo of the metronome early and often.
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raito
Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 549
Madison, WI
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 10:55 AM
5 minutes isn't much, but if it's more than you're getting now, it's certainly better.
Jake, he's more likely to put in a half hour a day at some point in the future if he manages to do 5 minutes a day now.
It's really more about building up the habit at this point.
But in order to get better, it's not all about time, but quality time. Like BeachBumScott alludes to, practice that reinforces bad habits isn't good at all.
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2365
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 11:04 AM
I'm right there with you, Sean. I get so distracted in other areas, next thing I know I'm in bed thinking "crud. I didn't practice today"
I'm actually about to drop some moneys on lessons. A couple sessions a month to get some good solid exercises to work with and to help me with the whole music theory thing.
Studying anything at home gets put on the back burner, but put me in a school/lessons situation and it magically becomes a priority in my head (example - i graduated high honors from college, but cant study my networking books for work to save my life! lol)
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ludobag
Joined: Jun 05, 2010
Posts: 620
at south of
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 11:17 AM
it is a good resolution ,that i try to adopt but in fact ,sometimes i haven't the time cause i am doing other things,or too lazy ,and sometime too tired in fact
the more you play the more it is easyer ,cause when you have don't play scince 3 weeks or one month ,it is hard to rebeguin ,the songs were forget or some licks doesn't want to go out
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SpaceFargo
Joined: Feb 18, 2010
Posts: 260
Lake Forest, CA
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 12:34 PM
JakeDobner wrote:
Try a half an hour to an hour, even that is not a very long time in terms of practicing.
It's all psychology here. The average lazy bedroom musician like myself has something in their brain that makes them think that 30 minutes is a lifetime. "I can't set aside 40 minutes for that, I could be using that time to whine over the internet" I always tell myself.
But 5 minutes? 5 minutes is nothing. In fact, practicing for 5 minutes is practically impossible. Once you get into it and watch the numbers on the metronome go higher and higher, you won't look at the clock and say "oh it's been 8 minutes I have to stop". Odds are it will turn into half an hour practice session, but it all starts with telling yourself "I have to go for 5 minutes, because I can do that"
— Hot Summer Comes Again!
Let's Go Beach! Let's Go Beach!
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Ripley1046
Joined: Feb 07, 2012
Posts: 43
Manitowoc, WI
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 01:21 PM
Practicing daily has made a huge difference for me. In November I starting working in a music store, so I'm surrounded by guitars every day, and I usually have one of mine on hand that I'm not afraid to go a little nuts on.
I've been trying to focus on learning something, or playing something better once a day. I usually end up playing about an hour a day, but most of it is just jamming or trying out new equipment. But amidst all that, I try to do something productive every day. It's really helped a lot.
I don't use a metronome, never really have, but I have really good time naturally so I don't worry about it too much.
— How many guitars are enough?
Just one more...
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blueruins
Joined: Mar 05, 2010
Posts: 362
Mauna Lani, HI
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 02:29 PM
Great topic.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks but starting about my mid 30's I've (way too slowly) shifted my focus to what I call "practicing smart".
I spent my teenage years and 20's "practicing" for 4-8 hours a day without any clear goals...mostly scales and writing songs. I gained a lot of dexterity but never bothered to learn the names of all of the notes on the fretboard or pay attention to the names of the chords I use, etc...
The last 5 years I've been transitioning to practicing with much more attention to the fundamentals. It may sound humbug but those of you who do this know that the rewards are freedom and control that makes playing a lot more fun.
Now when I learn a song I gain more than just another tune in the repertoire, I can see which scale degrees the composer is using to get that effect and throw it in to my own style at will.
This year I turn 43 and I'm preparing to do what I should have done 15 years ago...
I'm quitting my day job to become a professional guitarist.
Practice smart and thrive!
— http://blueruins.bandcamp.com
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Pappa_Surf
Joined: Oct 28, 2008
Posts: 671
Winnipeg, Canada
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 02:43 PM
Hi my name is Rich (members in unison, "Hi Rich")
I have developed bad practice habits. I can play the first part of quite a few songs but I often get stuck on the bridge and kind of keep doing the parts I know and never push myself to improve and learn the whole thing. (members gasp and tsk, tsk)
I'm going to pick a song I haven't tried before and I'm going to practice everyday and learn it right thrugh. I think I'll try Out of Limits.
— https://www.facebook.com/index.php?lh=9353f9155b5ff32e14c998495fd00da4&#!/rich.derksen.7
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10331
southern Michigan
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 02:58 PM
blueruins wrote:
This year I turn 43 and I'm preparing to do what I should have done 15 years ago...
I'm quitting my day job to become a professional guitarist.
Wow! I'm the same age as you, and all I can say is: that takes some REAL GUTS! Congatulations and best of luck to you! I hope you're successful in pursuing what you love.
— Ivan
Lords of Atlantis on Facebook
The Madeira Official Website
The Madeira on Facebook
The Blair-Pongracic Band on Facebook
The Space Cossacks on Facebook
The Madeira Channel on YouTube
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blueruins
Joined: Mar 05, 2010
Posts: 362
Mauna Lani, HI
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 03:24 PM
Well, I'm not anywhere near as much of a bad-ass guitarist as yourself...If that was your goal I'm sure you'd be there by now.
I won't be playing much of my own music and won't be playing for adoring fans, but I'll be rocking some classic surf and rockabilly with some Hawaiian slack-key thrown in for good measure.
There are worse ways to get paid;)
Hard work pays off...best to all of us who are taking practice more seriously this year...let's be the next wave!
— http://blueruins.bandcamp.com
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blueruins
Joined: Mar 05, 2010
Posts: 362
Mauna Lani, HI
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 03:31 PM
I should add that surrounding yourself by great players also lifts you up. I could never think of doing this without the generous assistance of a mentor who is using his talent and time to help me...
And most-importantly to me...I've spent a lot of time in prayer and when God's got your back nothing can stand in your way.
— http://blueruins.bandcamp.com
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CaptainThunder
Joined: May 24, 2010
Posts: 36
Texas
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 04:38 PM
I'm in. Might be cool to make a short, one song YouTube clip of your skill today, and make another one after a year of hitting it every day to see the improvement...
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Bilge_Rat
Joined: Apr 20, 2009
Posts: 320
Toronto, Ontario Canada
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Posted on Mar 13 2012 06:48 PM
Muscle Memory is the key. Try just having your guitar in your hands as much as possible. When I was learning as a kid/teenager I used to practice daily what I was taught at lessons and then when tv time came I kept the guitar and just noodled while watching the tube. It's like running on a treadmill with a tv infront of you. This honestly worked wonders and added hours of technique practice and ear training without much effort. I'm 28 and have been playing since the age of 6 and I need to practice everyday to keep it up. You get out what you put in.
— formerly SvD, bots.... member since 2006. Same game different name!
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3801
North Atlantic
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Posted on Mar 14 2012 08:50 AM
Kenny Werner talks about 5 minute practice sessions in his excellent book Effortless Mastery. The gist is that you practice for 5 minute intervals when you can throughout the day. The practice should be focused on a concept, and that is what you practice during that time. Stay focused on what you are practising until you have it down. This may be a day, a week, a month, etc. The idea behind this is that everybody can spare five minutes, and that you will become a better player if you concentrate on mastering one thing at a time, rather than trying to get a bunch of things down at once, and not really ever getting them down. The pursuit of music is lifelong, so don't rush through it. It'll only become more frustrating.
I do this when there is something specific I am working on. At first, I was a bit skeptical, but once I committed to one thing for 5 minute sessions, I really saw a difference in my playing. The first time i tried it, I focused on playing through the changes of "There is No Greater Love" for about 2 months (at 5 minute intervals). What a difference. I have since used it for technical things as well.
It worked for me!
Rev
— Canadian Surf
http://www.urbansurfkings.com/
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Mar 14 2012 08:58 AM
Great tip Rev. Not being able to hold a guitar is tough. But I'll be getting my keyboard soon and start in on that until I can safely play guitar again. Can anyone relate to the idea that there's this hole in my day where my guitar used to be that nothing can fill?
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
Last edited: Mar 14, 2012 08:59:10
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WaimeaBay
Joined: Jul 05, 2006
Posts: 969
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Posted on Mar 14 2012 07:35 PM
about a year ago I made a resolution to learn to play the piano because I grew bored with guitar. Well, shit I practiced daily and made some progress. I know I never will be a concert pianist, but it's fun and I am going to keep at it. I made some videos documenting my experience. Maybe my story and videos can be some inspiration for you guys wanting to improve.
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